Cooking with squid

Jeremy & Jane Strode -Mar 20, 2012

Tender ... Mediterranean braised baby octopus.

Squid, cuttlefish and octopus are members of the cephalopod sea creature family and are edible molluscs. They might look a bit weird but are easy to prepare at home and can be cooked many ways, or eaten raw.

They have either eight or 10 tentacles and the flesh is without bone, gristle or layers of fat. Each has a sac that contains ink, which can be collected and used to flavour and colour stews, sauces and pasta.

Squid has a long, thin body perfect for stuffing with lots of things such as rice, sausage, vegetables or bread. The body can be sliced into rings, strips or portions and can be crumbed and deep fried, grilled, pan- or stir-fried.

Cuttlefish have a similar shaped body to squid but are generally smaller and not as long, so they're not as good for stuffing. They have a hard ''beak'' inside which, when dried, is given to caged birds as a source of calcium. Cuttlefish and squid are sometimes called ink fish and can be pretty much interchanged between recipes.

Octopus thrives in the Mediterranean and is a big part of Greek cuisine, although the Spanish eat the most. Octopus has a round head with a small dark beak and eight curly legs. It is common to tenderise octopus before cooking it; this is usually done by your fishmonger. Octopus is fabulous in slow braised dishes. It can also be grilled, pan-fried or blanched and then thinly sliced and served with a strong dipping sauce.Jane Strode

Preheat oven to 160C. Warm oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and add onions, garlic and bay leaves and season. Fry over a medium heat until onions are soft and starting to colour, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Add octopus and bring back to a simmer. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for one hour. Stir through remaining ingredients and serve with grilled sourdough.

To cook polenta, bring milk to the boil. Add polenta in a steady stream and whisk over a low heat for 40 minutes until smooth and thick and polenta grains are soft. Add more milk if needed. Add butter and parmesan and season well with salt and pepper. Reserve. Bring ink, stock and bay leaf to the boil in a small saucepan, stirring well. Simmer for five minutes then add extra virgin olive oil. Reserve. Heat a little vegetable oil in a fry pan and fry squid pieces on high until just cooked. Place in a bowl and toss with parsley, lemon rind and garlic. Serve squid on top of a spoonful of polenta with a drizzle of ink sauce.

Place eschalots, garlic, chilli and oil in a small saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently until eschalots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, capsicum and tomato. Grill, barbecue or pan-fry lightly seasoned cuttlefish until just cooked, about three minutes a side. Serve with capsicum salsa and coriander.